


A Loveless Throne

by CherriOnTop



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abusive!Naomi, Flirty!Anna, Kind!Cas, M/M, Medieval, Poor!cas, Slave!Cas, Sweet!Dean, prince!Dean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-05
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-08-18 20:30:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16524101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherriOnTop/pseuds/CherriOnTop
Summary: "His parents wanted him to begin looking at potential fiancés when he came back, hoping to unite their kingdom strategically with another. They were being gracious and giving Dean a choice between selected princesses, but Dean had no desire to marry at the moment. He wasn't in love with any of them, and he wouldn't allow himself to marry if he didn't love someone."Or a story where Dean finds himself staying with a family that isn't quite what meets the eye.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This story has Cinderella elements but does not follow the story. 
> 
> Updates may not be regular, but I will be trying my best. The chapters will be longer than this prologue. 
> 
> Later chapters will feature abuse between Naomi and Castiel.

The carriage wheels bumped harshly over the uneven ground, jostling the passengers inside. Prince Dean Winchester wasn't the slightest bit annoyed, but his advisor, Fergus Crowley, was more than annoyed. He kept falling back against the seats, then huffing under his breath about not taking the scenic route next time. Dean couldn't help but smile, facing the window as he watched the carriage travel through the woods. It had been Dean's idea to travel this way, not wanting to take the same way as usual because he found it rather boring. Not to mention he wasn't exactly eager to get back to the castle. 

Outside, the sun was slowly beginning to set, and Dean was hoping that it would be dark quickly and they would have to find somewhere to rest for the night. His parents wanted him to begin looking at potential fiancés when he came back, hoping to unite their kingdom strategically with another. They were being gracious and giving Dean a choice between selected princesses, but Dean had no desire to marry at the moment. He wasn't in love with any of them, and he wouldn't allow himself to marry if he didn't love someone. 

The carriage hit another bump, and Crowley was thrown against the wall, hitting his head against the back of the seat. Curses fell from his lips, and Dean could only smile as he looked out the window, taking note of the different birds flying from tree to tree. If his younger but certainly not smaller brother, Sam, were here, Dean would point them out, and the two would name as many as they could remember. Sam had never been interested in birds while he still took schooling lessons, but Dean had found fascination with them. He longed to have wings and be able to fly wherever he wanted to go, which was far away from the castle. 

Dean caught sight of a little farm about a mile into the woods, barely able to see the smoke coming from the chimney through the thick trees. He could vaguely see the barn outside that probably had horses or cows. Surrounding it were many trees that Dean could only guess produced fruit. 

He wondered who lived there, and what their lives might be like. Would they be a happy family? Playing games together after a long day of taking care of the animals? Would they read together in the sitting room until the candles flickered out? Or would they stay outside, playing in the grass until long after the sun had set? 

If Dean lived there, he would be outside all the time. At home he liked to stroll along the beautiful courtyard, but it wasn't often that he was allowed to leave the castle walls. He liked to feel the crisp breeze on his face, the sun warming his freckled skin, and the fragrant flowers to reach his nose. Yes, he adored the outdoors, but was rarely allowed to bask in it. 

That's why he'd taken full advantage of the scenic route, even if he had to deal with Crowley's constant complaining the whole way. He wanted to see his full kingdom, and there was no better time than the present, when he was both curious and eager to stay away from home at whatever cost it may be. Sure, his father would be upset that it takes them a day longer than normal, and his mother would probably scold him, but seeing the strong trees sized up around him made it well worth whatever punishment he would face. 

"Your highness," Crowley spoke up, breaking the silence in the carriage. Dean pried his eyes away from the window reluctantly to look at the other man. "Are you sure it's absolutely necessary to travel this way? I'm sure we would make better progress if we took the main road. Night is approaching and I do not fancy spending it in this carriage." 

"Stop complaining," Dean sighed out, turning his attention to the window once again. "I happen to enjoy this road enough for the both of us. After all, you're not the one cooped up in the castle all the time." Guilt crossed Crowley's face, and he went quiet, knowing better than to argue with the prince. And Dean was right, Crowley was able to come and go whenever he pleased. He only had to ride with the royals when they traveled from the castle, acting as a bodyguard to protect them in case something were to happen along the road. 

And Crowley was able to use those skills he'd been trained in just as they hit another bump and a splintering of wood echoed, the carriage tilting to one side. Both Dean and Crowley were sent to the side, and the carriage tottered a few more meters before coming to a stop. The door was swung open a moment later, and the coachman, Benny, appeared, looking worried. 

"Are you alright, sire?" He asked, reaching in to help Dean out. Dean took his hand and allowed the other man to assist him in climbing out of the lopsided carriage. 

"I'm quite alright," Dean assured, back on solid ground. Crowley huffed as he came out with no offered assistance, but both the other men ignored him. "What happened?" 

Benny gestured to the carriage. "The wheel broke." The wheel had broken in half, only one side remaining on the spokes while the other half was back on the road when it had snapped. Dean liked to think that he was good with wood and working with his hands, but he didn't think that he could repair this wheel, especially not before night fell. "It's much too dangerous to spend the night in the carriage in the middle of the woods, but I don't think that we will have a choice."

Dean sat down on the step of the carriage, trying not to wince when the whole thing groaned and leaned into his weight. "I saw a farm just a little ways back. Perhaps we can see shelter there until we can send word to the castle." 

Crowley nodded before Dean could even finish talking, going to unleash one of the horses. "I shall go and ask if we may stay. It shouldn't take more than an hour, but it's probably best to hide somewhere away from the carriage in case some thieves come to investigate. I will return shortly." He climbed atop the horse, making sure both Dean and Benny were hidden behind some foliage before he took off on the horse, backtracking to the little house Dean had seen on the way.


	2. 1-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word reaches the Novak household that Prince Dean will be staying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating quickly, I've been busy with finals and a lot of challenges that I should have been writing instead of this. . .

Castiel had just put the soup on the stove when a knock sounded on the door. He paused a moment to see if his step mother or step sisters would come running, but he heard nothing. With a sigh, Castiel wiped his hands on his dirty apron, then went to answer the door. The house was strangely quiet before another knock thumped against the door, Castiel only a few steps away. 

With a half huff, Castiel pulled the door open, surprised to see a nicely dressed man standing on their doorstep. They rarely had any visitors, and they had never had anyone dressed as fine as the man before Castiel. Nervously, Castiel bowed to him without thinking, smoothing down his apron. "Hello, sir," Castiel murmured, trying not to look as nervous as he was feeling. "Can I help you?" 

The man smiled briefly when Castiel bowed, then seemed to snap out of it, straightening his posture to appear taller than Castiel. He already radiated authority, almost enough to make Castiel want to cower and hide. He didn't like to be around people who were leagues above him, who made him feel embarrassed about his low status. "Hello," the man spoke, voice deep and booming. "My name is sir Crowley, and I am here on the behalf of the eldest prince, Dean Winchester." Castiel's eyes widened, becoming more confused. How did the prince find his way all the way out here? 

"Castiel!" 

Castiel's head snapped up at the sound of his step mother's voice, watching her descend the stairs. She was dressed in an elegant purple dress, trying to make herself seem richer than they were. She only ever broke out her expensive clothes when they had company. Her narrow eyes zeroed in on him, turning her nose up in disgust as she took over the rags he was dressed in. Castiel worked hard not to cringe behind her stare, instead standing his ground and watching his step mother. 

"Castiel, dear, you do not look presentable to answer the door," she chided, finally reaching the door. Castiel took a step back to allow the large hoops of her dress to fill the doorway. He glanced up just in time to see his two step sisters bounding down the stairs, Anna dressed in an extravagant pink gown and Meg in her tightest yellow dress. They both looked as though they had hastily dressed, their corset backs not even strapped in. Castiel was sure that the three of them had dressed as quickly as they could the moment they heard the knocking. 

"Ma'am, I'm here on the behalf of the eldest prince, Dean Winchester," the man at the door repeated, looking a little surprised by the change in greeter, but trying to continue. Castiel melted away from the door a little to allow both his step sisters to bunch up at their mother's side, careful not to hurt the hoops in their skirts. 

Naomi made an introduction of herself and her daughters, neglecting Castiel without even a glance at him. Castiel rolled his eyes, but he didn't mind too much. The man at the door didn't acknowledge Castiel's presence either, but he was looking as though he couldn't get his words out. Castiel hoped that he didn't fall for his mother's charm, nor his sisters. 

"I have come to ask for a favor. I'm afraid it's a large favor, ma'am," the man continued, shifting on his feet slightly. Castiel turned to go to the kitchen and check on his soup, but the man's words stopped him in his tracks. "The prince's wagon has broken, and he was asking to seek refuge here for a few nights until we can repair the wagon and return to the castle." Both Anna and Meg exchanged a glance, then squealed like five year olds. "You will be paid generously for your cooperation." 

Castiel couldn't believe his ears. The prince? Staying in their house? His step sisters have had a crush on the man since they had seen him one year they attended a farmers market. Castiel, too, had found the prince to be quite attractive, but he didn't fool himself into thinking that the prince would be attracted to someone of lower status. Especially not a man. No, he was certain that the prince would be looking for someone of a higher status, someone who he could have children with and bare the heirs to the throne. Castiel was not that person, and there was no use trying to pretend he was someone he was not. 

"The prince wishes to stay here? Well," Naomi gasped, pretending to think it over. "It's such an honor to be able to serve our future king this way." Castiel rolled his eyes and proceeded to the kitchen, not wanting his soup to burn. "Castiel!" His step mother's calling paused him in his spot, but he didn't give her the satisfaction of turning around. "Would you be a dear and fix up the spare bedroom for the lovely prince? Make sure you give him the best." 

Castiel clenched his fists at his sides, but he continued to the kitchen, not bothering to answer. He already knew he'd be punished if he disobeyed, so really, what choice did he have? The potato soup was bubbling on the stove, so he moved it back off the burner, letting it cool as he stirred it. Certainly the prince would be there for dinner, and the Novak family would have to wait to eat until the prince was ready. Castiel knew that the prince would likely want to settle in before eating, so he'd just warm it up later. 

Once the soup was safely off the heat, Castiel removed his apron, hanging it on its hook near the oven, then headed upstairs to the rarely used spare bedroom. They hadn't had an actual guest stay the night in years, but sometimes, when the sisters were fighting, one would stay in the spare bedroom until they made up. 

Inside, the room was dark, and Castiel had a hard time making his way to the window. The ground was cluttered with Meg's clothes, as well as the bedspread she refused to sleep with. Castiel would have to wash it again before it could be used, and since it was the prince coming, Castiel would go ahead and wash all the bedding. After all, the prince was paying to get their best service, and Castiel would be punished if he didn't offer the best. 

The shutters over the window were a nuisance to open, but after a few minutes of struggling and surely embedding splinters in his fingertips, Castiel got them open, and light flooded the room. Luckily, the room wasn't covered in dust, giving Castiel more time to get the room presentable. Quickly, Castiel picked up all of Meg's clothes, making sure to drape them carefully over his arm so they wouldn't wrinkle. Meg always threw a fit when he wrinkled her clothes, and he was always the one to iron them anyway. He didn't need to put more work on his plate than he already had. 

Once all the clothes were picked up, the room seemed much bigger, and thankfully, much cleaner, too. Castiel set the clothes over a chair and started to strip the bed, wrapping up the sheet, pillow cases, and bedspread. He needed to get these up to dry so that the prince wouldn't have to sleep in damp blankets. 

Carefully, Castiel made his way down the stairs and outside, to the large trough outside. This one was closer to the house, made for washing clothes rather than feeding their farm animals. Castiel set the blankets on the tarp next to the house, then started to fill the trough with water. It was cold, more frigid than the air around Castiel, and he was not looking forward to washing. He dropped some homemade soap chunks into the water, swishing it around to get the water ready. 

Once the trough was mostly full, Castiel dropped the items into it, rolling up his sleeves. The water encased his arms as soon as he submerged them into the trough, and he shivered, grabbing a bar of soap to start cleaning the sheets. The wind beat around his vulnerable body, and Castiel wished he'd put on an extra coat. It stung his ears, his nose, his lips, and Castiel trembled. The howling covered up the sound of footsteps, and he didn't realize that Naomi was there until she touched his shoulder. 

Castiel jumped, knocking into the trough and spilling water against the side of the house. Naomi didn't seem to mind for once, her arms crossed over her chest and her face drawn tight with disapproval. Castiel was sure she was upset with him for something, but he wasn't interested in wasting time talking to her. "What is it this time?" He asked, turning back to the sheets. The sooner he got them hanging, the sooner the prince would be able to use them. 

"It's the prince," Naomi answered, voice almost as cold as the water Castiel had his hands in. He didn't comment further, knowing she would keep speaking when she was ready. He used to engage more in the conversations, but that only made her happy, and Castiel hated the prideful smile on her face when that happened. 

Castiel scrubbed at the sheets, his fingers shaking so bad he nearly dropped the soap. Colder weather was settling in, and Castiel would have to wear more layers to do laundry. It was easier to take care of the farm, but Castiel was always trapped outside for longer than he wanted every time, due to the fact that Naomi sometimes "forgot" to unlock the door when he came back in. 

Just as Castiel was about to pull the sheets from the water, Naomi fisted his hair, yanking his head back so he was looking at her upsidedown, straining his neck. Castiel cried out in pain, but his step mother paid no mind. "It's the prince," she repeated, clenching her jaw. "He's coming to stay with us for a few days, and this is our chance to get Meg or Anna married off to him. This is our chance to step up in life and become rich. We deserve to be living like royalty in that castle, and I won't let you mess this up. While the prince is here, I want you out of sight. You aren't allowed to eat with us, gather with us, or talk to us as long as the prince is in the room. I don't want him to know you are even here, understand?" She spat, not giving Castiel a chance to answer before she continued. "If I find out that you have talked to him, you can be sure a punishment will follow." 

When she released his hair, Castiel gave a gasp of relief, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Fine," he snapped out, standing up to take the sheets out of the water. "I won't talk to him, don't worry. I'll stay out of sight." He could practically feel the smirk on Naomi's face, the satisfaction of getting her way rolling off her body in waves. 

"Good. And if you need a little incentive to behave," she paused, a cruel undertone in her voice. Her hands pressed against his back, and with a heavy push, Castiel toppled over, into the water trough. He gave a cry as the cold water wrapped around him like a blanket. "Don't mess this up for us." Then she was gone, leaving Castiel alone. 

Quickly, he climbed out of the trough, spilling most of the water out as he did so. The breeze flew right through him, making Castiel tremble with cold, teeth chattering. He should have known Naomi would do such a thing to him. Just another thing that he needed to take care of before the prince got there. And as if he would be stupid enough to talk to the prince. He didn’t need the man to reject him due to his low status, and he didn't have time for friends and drama in his life anyway. As soon as he pocketed enough money from their sales at the farmer's market, he would be out of here and would settle somewhere Naomi had no power over him and he'd never have to see her face again. 

Until then, though, he had a lot of work to do to prepare for the coming of the prince.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have big plans for this story because I've been thinking about this for a long time now, maybe over a year. Either way, I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do! 
> 
> Leave me comments?


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